What I Like to Say Yes To

While I shared my thoughts about most things being a No in our working reality, there are plenty of people and opportunities to say Yes to. The key is to eliminate the noise and keep a self-discipline in allowing people into your life and business that drain you emotionally, financially and physically.

The cost is enormous to spend time on projects or attention-sucking efforts that keep you from moving towards your goals and getting results. Of course this means you are clear about your goals and what results you are seeking. So, that should be a first priority.

I spend a lot of time sharing ideas and seeking to help people. But if someone is not responsive or is drowning in chaos, it’s not worth trying to push or convince such people of the merits of taking action. Better to move on and find opportunities and people to work with that are easy and action-oriented.

The right Yeses get you closer to your goals. Here are a few to keep your eyes and mind open towards:

• Action people. As I mentioned, these are the people I look for. They move ideas to actions quickly rather than linger, hope or remain in a state of unclear thinking. Action people have eagerness and execution as part of their behaviors.
• Asymmetrical Upside. Finding deals where there is low downside and massive upside is not necessarily common. However, it’s well worth saying Yes to because of the risk equation. There are many deals that can be massaged towards asymmetry with creativity. The kind of thinking that is required has to be strategic and insightful in nature. I like massaging the details to create upside and mitigate risk. We can’t control outcomes completely but we can hedge to allow entrepreneurial pursuits to be worthwhile without foolishness.
• More Options. Saying yes to choices with the most options keeps you freer than the person painted into a corner by limitations of choice. There are no guarantees. We don’t live in a world of complete cause and effect. We do live in a world of probabilities. You can tilt fate and outcomes towards your favor by using optionality for your own benefit. It’s a wonderful strategy that helps you navigate the unknown or compete in a world of too many choices.
• Testing. Ideas are wonderful in that they are perfect in our mind’s eye. However, our minds are limited in what they can conceive as obstacles, adversity and limitations. I say yes to ideas that can be tested and moved along a path that works out the details. In the process you get insights, understanding and even skills that make your ideas workable and more robust.
• Adventure. I hate boring. I know how easy our psyches can get comfortable and get stuck in a rut. We are not machines. We are human beings and we can experience more and live more fully by staying open to adventure that comes along. I like to say Yes at opportunities to grow, explore and have fun. It helps my motivation and opens up creativity and depth of experience. Those are so critical in a world of abundant choice and commoditization. Adventure helps avoid commoditization thinking.

What do you like to say Yes to?